Fever
by SportyLovatic
Summary: Baby Bailey is sick and it's all Tony's fault, what will it take to make her feel better? A fluffy, Tate one-shot.


**A/N: See cover art for story inspiration.**

**Here we go! Enjoy :-)**

Bailey cried as loud as her lungs would allow.

"I know baby girl, you don't feel well," cooed Tony, bouncing the baby in his arms. He looked down at his wailing daughter, her face bright pink. "I'm the worse father ever! You've only been in the world two months and you catch a cold because of me! What was I thinking opening up the window last night? It's almost winter! But that load you left in that diaper was pretty stinky!"

Bailey wasn't amused as her tiny face curled into a frown before another explosive cry escaped her.

"You aren't in a joking mood, I'm sorry," Tony picked up his cellphone and dialed.

"Hello?" answered Kate.

"Where are you?"

"I'm still at the pharmacy, there's a long line. How is she?"

"Not good! She won't stop crying," Tony placed Bailey on his shoulder, gently kissing the side of her head. "She's really warm, Kate."

"That's because she has a fever thanks to you opening up the window!"

"Can we not point fingers right now? Our daughter is sick and I have no idea how to get her to stop crying! She's barely cried since you had her now she won't stop and nothing we do seems to help." Tony placed Bailey on his shoulder.

Kate's heart broke as the sound of her daughter's cries filled the phone. "Hopefully this medicine the pediatrician prescribed will help break her fever and make her feel better."

"What should I do until you get back?"

"I don't know, Tony! I've only been a mom for two months I still new to this! Just try whatever you think will calm her down."

"Alright, please hurry back," Tony hung up the phone as Bailey continued to cry. "Okay, okay," he gently rubbed Bailey's tiny back, gently shushing her. "Daddy's going to fix it. He's going to find a way to make Bailey feel better."

Bailey wailed as Tony walked about the house looking for anything to ease her discomfort. "You want a bottle? Will that help?" Tony placed the nipple into Bailey's mouth but her mouth remained wide open as she cried. "No, you don't want a bottle. I just changed your diaper so you're dry. What is it, Bailey? What do you want me to do?"

Bailey's face looked almost red from all the crying.

"There has to be some way to get rid of this fever but how?" Tony paused as he looked upon his DVD collection. He raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?" He looked at the tiny baby in his arms. "I think I have an idea."

Tony sat down on the sofa, laying the infant in his lap. "Here let's get this off of you," he unsnapped the buttons on Bailey's pink onesie as the baby's tiny fists shook fiercely next to her chest. Tony took off the onesie, leaving Bailey in just her diaper. He proceeded to remove his shirt, revealing his hairy chest. He picked up the still crying infant, placing her on his shoulder, her chest and stomach skin to skin with his chest. He picked up the baby blanket off the back of the sofa, laying it over her bare back. He got up, bouncing the half-naked baby in his arms as he walked around. "Please let this work."

Bailey continued to cry as Tony walked several laps around the living room but around the fifth lap he noticed she was starting to quiet down before stopping altogether.

Tony placed his hand on her back, pressing his cheek to her head. "How you feeling, Bailey? This helping any?"

Bailey curled up her tiny body, bringing them closer together.

Tony smiled, kissing her head. "That's my sweet girl."

The sound of keys jostling the front door lock filled the room. Tony turned around to see Kate walking in, a white pharmacy bag in hand. "Hey, you're back!"

"Yeah," Kate closed the door. "I got the medicine, let's pray this works," Kate froze noticing the silence. "You got her to stop crying."

"I sure did!" Tony smiled proudly.

Kate looked Tony up and down. "You care to explain why you and our daughter are shirtless?"

Tony looked down at Bailey. "I'm helping her with her fever. I saw it in a movie once. This guy had a fever so the woman he was with stripped down and made him strip down too and then held him close to her. Something about transferring body heat. I thought I would give it a shot with her and it worked!"

"You are taking medical advice for our daughter from a movie?"

"It's all I could think of! It got her to stop crying plus I think she likes it."

"I don't think her being without a shirt is a good idea."

"I got a blanket over her plus my body heat is keeping her warm. Kind of like what the Eskimos do."

"I could care less about Eskimos right now, our daughter is sick. She needs to have on clothes and so do you!"

"I'm fine."

"Give her here," Kate reached for Bailey but as soon as she lost contact with her father, her tiny faced frowned up and she began to cry again. Kate placed Bailey back against Tony's chest and immediately her tears stopped as she began to suck on her tiny hand.

Tony looked at Kate. "Told you she likes it!"

Kate looked into her daughter's eyes, glassy from her sickness yet comfy in her father's bare arms. "You like your Dad holding you?"

Bailey sighed.

"I think she is close to falling asleep. I'll just hold her until she falls out," said Tony.

"You sure?"

"If this is what makes her feel better."

"Well at least let me put a blanket around you so you don't get sick too."

"Or you could take off your shirt and join the party. We can all get sick together," a flirty smile crossed Tony face.

Kate tilted her head giving Tony a disapproving gaze.

"Or not."

Hours passed.

Kate pulled a blanket around a shirtless Tony and a diaper-clad Bailey still laying on his chest, as they laid on the sofa, Tony's protective hand keeping her in place as he watched television. She stayed awake for three hours, clinging to Tony before finally falling to sleep but any attempt to take her away from Tony was met with tears so for today, Tony was her personal snuggle buddy. Kate kissed Bailey's now cool forehead.

"She still asleep?" asked Tony.

"Yeah, you want to see if you can put her in her crib again?"

Tony looked down at his daughter looking so peaceful as she slept. "No, she can stay, she's comfy. Care to join us? There is plenty of room!"

Kate careful climbed to the back of the sofa, laying her head on Tony's chest, softly stroking Bailey's hand with her thumb. "I'll give it to you, your idea worked. Her fever is down and she stopped crying. Who would have thought that the man who thought that he couldn't handle having kids would turn into such a great father?"

"What can I say, I'll do anything for my girls," Tony smiled as he kissed Kate's forehead. He paused giving her a funny look.

"What?"

"You feel a little warm. You aren't getting sick are you?"

"No."

"You sure?"

At that moment Kate sneezed.

"Really, Kate? I'm the one walking around without a shirt and you go and catch a cold!"

Kate sniffled. "This is your fault! It was freezing in here with that window open!"

"You're not going to start crying are you?"

"Shut up! I'm going to go make some tea and honey."

"I don't think so. Lose the sweater," Tony nodded towards the turtle neck Kate was wearing.

"What?"

"Take it off! Skin to skin contact worked for Bailey, it will work for you too! Now come on," Tony pulled the blanket over Kate as she removed the sweater leaving her in a black cami. Tony wrapped his arm around Kate pulling her close. Within minutes, Kate was sound asleep along with their daughter. Tony kissed both Kate and Bailey on the cheek, basking in the sight of mother and daughter asleep on his chest. "I should open up the window more often."

**What do you think? FYI, the technique Tony used to get rid of Bailey's fever is known as "babywearing," it's actually a recommended way to help break fevers in babies. As always, reviews and comments are welcomed :-)**


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